Bab 96: Goodbye White Sea, Hello Blue Sea!
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--xLOVEx--
"Let's say our goodbyes and leave!" Luffy grinned, clearly eager for the next leg of their journey.
The crew nodded, feeling the excitement of moving on. The sound of the bell still echoed in the island, a symbol of the peace they had helped restore. It was time to return to the Blue Sea and continue their adventures.
As they made their way back to the center of the island, the Shandians and Skypieans gathered to see them off. Wiper stood at the front. Beside him, Gan Fall looked pleased, the weight of the past finally lifted from his shoulders.
Gan Fall stepped forward, extending a hand to Luffy. "Thank you, Straw Hat Luffy. You and your crew have done more for this island than we can ever repay."
Luffy grinned, shaking his hand enthusiastically. "No problem, old man! It was fun!"
Wiper nodded at Coby, his gaze firm. "You've earned our respect. If you ever find yourself in need, the Shandians will stand by your side."
Coby met his gaze, appreciating the sentiment. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."
As the crew exchanged farewells with the islanders, Nami and Usopp negotiated a few last-minute trades, ensuring they left with supplies and a few extra treasures.
With an Octopus Balloon carrying the Going Merry through the skies and the Golden Bell seeing them off, the Straw Hat crew finally descended from Skypiea, the thick clouds parting as they made their way back to the Blue Sea. The feeling of descending from the heavens was exhilarating, the wind rushing past them as the ocean came back into view.
"Woohoo, the Blue Sea!" Luffy cheered, arms stretched wide as he stood at the bow of the ship, enjoying the sight of the familiar waters. "Feels good to be back!"
Usopp, who had been leaning against the railing, smirked. "Yeah, no more cloud meat. Back to real food."
A few days after their descent, they sailed into a strange area, where an odd encounter awaited them. A strange pirate ship, captained by Foxy the Silver Fox, appeared out of nowhere, challenging them to a Davy Back Fight.
The games were bizarre, and the crew got caught up in them before they knew what was happening. Luffy, naturally competitive, accepted every challenge Foxy threw at them, leading to a series of strange and chaotic games.
But that part of the journey, namely the Foxy Arc, mysteriously disappeared from the annals of the story. It was as if the events involving Foxy the Silver Fox and his strange games were erased from memory. Of course, Coby didn't forget to scan Foxy's abilities during the chaos, even though he hadn't purchased any. The whole thing wasn't much different from how it played out in the anime.
With the defeated Foxy Pirates gone, the crew, who were about to enjoy the peaceful island they had landed on, noticed a really tall man standing in the distance. He was sleeping on his feet, his long limbs making him look like a giant compared to the rest of the crew.
As they approached, Robin suddenly froze, her face draining of color. She fell to the ground in dread, her eyes locked onto the man in front of them.
The tall figure stirred, his eyes slowly opening. He looked down at Robin, recognition flashing across his face. "Ararara," he muttered, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable weight. "You sure have grown into a fine young woman. Nico Robin."
The crew tensed up instantly. Luffy, still munching on a piece of meat, stopped mid-bite and looked at the man varily. "Who's this guy?" he asked, his voice muffled by the food in his mouth.
Zoro's hand instinctively moved to his swords, his gaze sharp as he studied the stranger.
Sanji flicked his cigarette away, his eyes narrowing as he noticed Robin's reaction. "Robin? What's wrong?"
Coby stood in front of Robin, shielding her from the mounting pressure as he gently took her hand and helped her to her feet. His gaze was fixed on Aokiji, knowing deep down that this encounter was something he wished he could have avoided. He was fully aware of the intense mental trauma Robin was grappling with, but he also knew that by the end of Enies Lobby, she would overcome her fears and truly become a part of the crew.
Despite his desire to prevent the upcoming ordeal, Coby understood the importance of these events. Robin's defection, though painful, was crucial on so many levels. It pushed Luffy to realize the need to grow stronger, leading to the development of Gear 2 and 3. The crew's acceptance of Robin after learning that she had left to protect them cemented their bond, and Franky joined them for the same reason. Coby even considered letting Franky beat Usopp and steal his money, knowing that these moments were key to the character development that would bring them all closer together.
As much as he hated the situation, seeing Robin's dilated pupils and the fear etched on her face made Coby despise himself. But he projected that frustration onto Aokiji, the man responsible for this confrontation. "He's the Navy Admiral, Aokiji Kuzan," Coby said, his voice low, but with a cold edge as he introduced the formidable figure before them.
Robin stood behind Coby, her shivering hands gripping his shirt tightly. The crew watched Aokiji with tense anticipation, unsure of what the Admiral's intentions were.
Aokiji lazily yawned, his eyes half-lidded as he took in the sight of the Straw Hat crew. "Chill out," he drawled, clearly unfazed by the tension. "I'm not here under orders. Just taking a walk."
Coby nodded at the crew, signaling them to calm down. Even if they all fought together, Aokiji was on a different level. There was no point in picking a fight they couldn't win.
The Admiral casually sat down, stretching his long limbs. "Man, I'm tired after all that standing up."
Usopp, unable to keep quiet, retorted, "Then why were you sleeping on your feet?"
Aokiji ignored the comment, his gaze drifting toward Robin. "I just wanted to confirm if Nico Robin was with you after the Alabasta incident. Thought she might be here."
Robin's grip on Coby's shirt tightened, but she didn't say a word. The rest of the crew stayed on edge, ready to move at a moment's notice.
Aokiji continued, seemingly indifferent to the tension in the air. "I'll just report my findings so they can recalculate your bounty. Let's see... 285 million plus 79 million..." He trailed off, waving his hand dismissively. "Well, nearly the same. Too much work to calculate."
Luffy, who had been quiet up until now, clenched his fists. He didn't like the way Aokiji was making Robin feel uncomfortable. "Oi, don't make her feel weird!" he shouted, stepping forward as if to challenge the Admiral.
But Aokiji waved him off lazily. "I really don't want to fight. No point in it."
Just then, the old man who had been the cause of the strange events during the Foxy Arc appeared, looking bewildered by the situation. Aokiji turned to him, his tone casual. "I heard you while I was sleeping. Pack up, and I'll help you get to the next island."
Luffy, still bristling, shouted, "Don't listen to him, old man! He's Navy!"
The old man gave Luffy a deadpan look. "So?"
Luffy blinked, realizing how ridiculous he sounded. "Ah, ah, right. Normally the Navy's the good guys and we pirates are the bad guys. Of course you should listen to the Navy, hahahaha!" He laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
Aokiji got up from his spot and stretched. "Well, let's be done with it." He casually walked toward the sea, the crew watching his every move.
As he reached the water's edge, Aokiji knelt down and touched the surface with his hand. A sea beast, attracted by the movement, lunged out of the water toward Aokiji. Without even looking up, the Admiral froze the creature in an instant and with it the sea froze solid, spreading out as far as the eye could see. The crew stared in shock as the once-wavy waters turned into a vast sheet of ice.
The Straw Hats were silent, the display of power leaving them speechless. Even Luffy, usually quick to jump into action, hesitated.
Aokiji looked at the old man standing by the frozen sea and casually warned, "It's gonna be cold out there. Make sure you dress warm. The ice will stick around for a week, so you can cross safely."
The old man, wide-eyed with gratitude, bowed deeply. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"
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